LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[King'sPawn]

Would be awesome if his hands and brain could catch up.

He's had two assists taken away and hit a couple posts. I get it. It sucks. I just think he's still getting unwarranted hate, while he has clearly improved.

 

[kingsholygrail]

He's had two assists taken away and hit a couple posts. I get it. It sucks. I just think he's still getting unwarranted hate, while he has clearly improved.

I mean, saltine crackers seem like a feast to someone that is starving.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Byfield just needs to produce. Point blank period. Then all the people like me will shut up about him.

 

[Maynard]

I called him “tall Iafalo” recently but that’s unfair. Iafallo produces much more offense.

 

[johnjm22]

If QB is going to be a great player in this league, it's probably not gonna be for awhile.

Hopefully something "clicks" this year. We'll see.

I'm confident it will happen, but I'm not confident it will happen soon.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

He's had two assists taken away and hit a couple posts. I get it. It sucks. I just think he's still getting unwarranted hate, while he has clearly improved.

He’s better this year I agree. The expectations are just higher than for what he has done career to date and he is probably catching a lot of resentment for the people that picked him and their multiple whiffs or partials with top 10 picks.

It’s nothing personal against the kid as a human being. He’s just not the hockey player we hoped he would be; even those of us who would have passed on him for Timmy.

My son does jiu jitsu and he is super technical, sets up his moves 3 moves ahead and is super patient with his style. He doesn’t have a mean streak in his entire body though so he gets bulldozed by less skilled smaller kids who are way more aggressive. He can hold his own against kids who have been rolling longer and rely on technique. His last tournament he jumped 2 weight classes and won gold. Put him against a kid who is an aggressive wrestler that neck cranks and he folds like a cheap suit.

I see a lot of that in Byfield he just doesn’t have the intensity or even an ounce of nasty to his game. Kopitar doesn’t either (nasty) but Kopitar has always had the compete and intensityin his game to where he wasn’t afraid to take it to physical players. He was that way from the get go. I remember sitting ice level and watching him blow by pronger with that power move In the pre season. I just don’t see that intensity in Q. I haven’t seen it even once.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Between this and some of the other stats, including just flat out bad luck, I'd expect SOMEONE on that line to start racking up points. Kempe is due, if nothing else.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Really think the Kings need a power forward if they aren't going to go the enforcer route on the 4th line.

A player like Mantha (when he is playing well) or Josh Anderson would look good with Danault/Moore or PLD/Fiala especially heading into the playoffs.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Really think the Kings need a power forward if they aren't going to go the enforcer route on the 4th line.

A player like Mantha (when he is playing well) or Josh Anderson would look good with Danault/Moore or PLD/Fiala especially heading into the playoffs.

I think Grundstrom serves that pretty well, though yeah, someone meaner would be ideal

I think the Josh Anderson idea is nice but the price tag very steep for a guy who is never close to healthy edit: though it might help him to be down the lineup in LA too

 

[Remparts666]

Why was Spence sent down to AHL ? Has he failed in his role so far ? Who is going to take his place ?

 

[King'sPawn]

Why was Spence sent down to AHL ? Has he failed in his role so far ? Who is going to take his place ?

These are usually just paper transactions.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Paper transaction to save Cap money and also get JAD in a game.

Spence will not play in Ontario this weekend according to Dooley.

 

[lumbergh]

Fair assessment. Clarke was best RD behind Doughty both by the eye test and advanced stats. Roy was giving the pick up more than Durzi (fact at the point played game 9), Durzi was giving the puck away dangerously and costing us big goals (Roy did also) and Walker was way off the pace.

Clarke definitely looks like his instincts have been subdued.

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)

Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)
View attachment 758022
Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

Yes, there was a dramatic drop in his performance when he was moved to the left side, as predicted. Also, he doesn't get the benefit of the stability of a larger sample size like some of these guys do, as you can see in his GF/60 as well, which is also absurd and the combo of both is still better than our depth dmen.

Prior to, he was absolutely crushing it.

Though most will agree he needs to work on his defensive game.

 

[King'sPawn]

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)
View attachment 758022
Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

Of all those defenders, Clarke is the only one who didn't have Copley or Korpisalo in net at all while he played. He played in front of Petersen and Quick when they were struggling.

Yes, he needs to play better defense, but comparing his defense to Durzi without any additional context is misleading.

7-6 win vs Minnesota with Petersen in net
5-4 win vs Detroit with Quick in net
4-3 SO Win vs Nashville with Petersen in net
6-1 loss vs Pittsburgh with Quick and Petersen in net
4-3 loss vs Washington with Quick in net
4-2 win vs Tampa Bay with Quick in net
6-4 loss vs Winnipeg with Quick in net
4-2 win vs Toronto with Petersen in net

So during his 9 games, there were 33 goals scored against both Quick and Petersen. And there were quite a few barnstormers in general.

 

[Statto]

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)
View attachment 758022
Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

I’m talking about the numbers in comparison to his team mates at the time, when the goaltending was a mess. It’s pretty obvious what the context was. I also did some analysis at the time of the rate of giveaways from Durzi and Roy in particular and how so many of them were in their own zone (Clarke was significantly better than both). All of the D had their ga numbers improve after the goaltending did, with Clarke not getting that boost because he didn’t play.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)
View attachment 758022
Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

That is not the only stat the "matters" for defensemen. It ignores all context, including whether he might be the victim of shitty goaltending behind him. If you zoom out and look at the quality of chances against while he was on the ice (measured by xGA/60), it's pretty obvious KP's theory of bad goaltending has much more to do with the inflated goals-against numbers than his own bad play.

 

[tigermask48]

7-6 win vs Minnesota with Petersen in net
5-4 win vs Detroit with Quick in net
4-3 SO Win vs Nashville with Petersen in net
6-1 loss vs Pittsburgh with Quick and Petersen in net
4-3 loss vs Washington with Quick in net
4-2 win vs Tampa Bay with Quick in net
6-4 loss vs Winnipeg with Quick in net
4-2 win vs Toronto with Petersen in net

Looks at the score of Kings games this year.

*laughs in "goaltending wassn't the team's biggest need"

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Looks at the score of Kings games this year.

*laughs in "goaltending wassn't the team's biggest need"

What was the Kings record after beer-league Copley took over?

 

[Kudelski37]

Really think the Kings need a power forward if they aren't going to go the enforcer route on the 4th line.

A player like Mantha (when he is playing well) or Josh Anderson would look good with Danault/Moore or PLD/Fiala especially heading into the playoffs.

Mantha has been complete trash with the Caps....think Dustin Penner at his worst with a pancake/maple syrup hangover. Zero effort at anything....skating, hitting, shooting, defense, etc. He is done.

Josh Anderson is a decent player with a horrible contract. 5.5 million/year through 2027 and turns 30 this spring.

 

[Fishhead]

I'm just gonna leave this here. For a defenseman, there's one stat that matters. Brandt Clarke got scored on at a pace that makes Sean Durzi look like Rob Scuderi. (Even strength, >100 minutes TOI, 2022-23 & 2023-24 seasons)
View attachment 758022
Kid needs to learn how to play in his own zone first.

I would do relative to get a better picture. Those were his first NHL games against a team that had two holey goalies to start the season.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Same argument for the last 150 years, same argument for the next 150 years....

OMG Prospect ABCDEFG sucks ass because 9 games in he wasn't dominating.......

Clarke will be fine, he needs work on his game, work on his maturity.....but ultimately he will be fine......I think LA should be looking to deal Roy at the TDL, and bring Clarke in then to replace him internally........ but other than that, I'm not gonna worry if Clarke isn't playing in the NHL by the time he's 20 years 3 months and 2 days etc

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Same argument for the last 150 years, same argument for the next 150 years....

OMG Prospect ABCDEFG sucks ass because 9 games in he wasn't dominating.......

Clarke will be fine, he needs work on his game, work on his maturity.....but ultimately he will be fine......I think LA should be looking to deal Roy at the TDL, and bring Clarke in then to replace him internally........ but other than that, I'm not gonna worry if Clarke isn't playing in the NHL by the time he's 20 years 3 months and 2 days etc

You don’t understand. The Kings have RUINED Byfield and Turcotte….Clarke is next.

 

[Statto]

Same argument for the last 150 years, same argument for the next 150 years....

OMG Prospect ABCDEFG sucks ass because 9 games in he wasn't dominating.......

Clarke will be fine, he needs work on his game, work on his maturity.....but ultimately he will be fine......I think LA should be looking to deal Roy at the TDL, and bring Clarke in then to replace him internally........ but other than that, I'm not gonna worry if Clarke isn't playing in the NHL by the time he's 20 years 3 months and 2 days etc

I fundamentally agree wrt Clarke’s long term development. I just question it being the best way to get the best out of a Play-off run as it gives a short window to allow him to settle and translate his game. I’d certainly support moving Roy, I’d just do it sooner.

 

[Schmooley]

I think LA should be looking to deal Roy at the TDL, and bring Clarke in then to replace him internally........

I think they should also. But if Blake thinks they can go on a run I can see them just keeping Roy (and Arvidsson). Basically just treat them like their own rentals and let them walk in the offseason for nothing.